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JAMAICA, NEW YORK -- My girlfriend and I originally booked a flight from Denver to Paris. She called to inquire about the cost of changing our itinerary (this was just after the Paris terrorist attacks). The agent (in India) told the cost would be $400 per ticket, and she told him to go ahead and make the changes.
He changed her ticket first, THEN told her the cost to change mine was $800+. She then said that we no longer wanted to change the itinerary at that price. Instead of reinstating the original itinerary, or correctly informing her that she had 24 hours to undo any change without penalty (the airline's policy, and the law). He instead told her that she had "no choice" but to pay an additional $400 to change her itinerary back, or pay the $800+ to change my itinerary. Having been misled into thinking she had no choice, she allowed him to change my itinerary too.
Between then and the departure date, I spent over 6 hours trying to reach someone at British Airways to request that they reinstate the original itinerary at the original price. I spent extended times on hold, was transferred endlessly from person to person, and disconnected repeatedly. Multiple representatives in India said that no one at the Indian call center had the authority or ability to reinstate our original itinerary (a lie, as I subsequently learned). I asked to speak to a representative in the U.S. or the U.K and was given multiple phone numbers to call -- all of which ultimately led back to the very same voice queue in India.
After several more hours of futilely calling numbers all over the world, I eventually managed to reach a representative in the U.K. She initially said that her manager would listen to the recording of the initial call to India, when we first changed the itinerary, and if the representative had indeed failed to correctly inform of our options as we had described, they would reinstate the original flights and issue a credit.
After an extended time on hold, the representative returned and said that their "system is down" and her manager could not access the recording -- but had nevertheless decided that the original agent had handled everything correctly, that our complaint had no merit, they would do nothing for us, and the decision was final. I asked to speak to the manager directly and my request was refused. I have no idea what it would take to get this airline to take responsibility for its conduct, or get decent and fair customer service. I tried and failed. I fear there will ultimately be no choice left but a lawsuit.
After receiving your response to my request for a refund on the price difference between the tickets I purchased on your website and the lower fare I discovered the morning after my purchase, I am stunned, aggravated and offended. I carefully reviewed the information given on your website and it is clear that you have been purposefully and deceitfully manipulative in your presentation of information regarding your "Price Promise" program.
You say "If you find the same British Airways flight you've purchased on ba.com cheaper on another website, we'll refund the difference.*" The asterisk at the end of the sentence refers to a paragraph at the bottom of the web page, "Terms and Conditions," which further clarifies the rules of the game, yet nowhere in those T & Cs is there a mention of a midnight deadline.
In fact, nowhere else do mentions of your "Price Promise" program indicate any such deadline -- the only place said deadline is mentioned is buried deep in the language of "FULL terms and conditions," on a page quite cached away. There are no warnings about limitations to the program other than those mentioned on the first "Terms and Conditions," nothing that indicates that it's important to read further. You don't give any warning language such as "time limits apply" or "other terms and conditions apply."
The customer reads "Find Our Cheapest Fares to London All Year Long" on the home page; then when the prospective customer clicks through to book tickets, he reads, "If you find exactly the same flight cheaper on another US website, we'll refund the difference." No time limits or warning clauses mentioned.
When the customer clicks on the link to "BA Price Promise," he goes to another page to read BA's noble promises to the customer..."If you find the same British Airways flight you've purchased on ba.com cheaper on another website, we'll refund the difference." And then, "Book with Confidence...Always feel confident you can book online at ba.com for our best fares." And then, "If you have made your booking on ba.com and happened to have found the same flights, on the same day, in the same class but cheaper on another website, don't worry, just complete and submit our claim form."
A Reasonable Person would assume that if a lower price appeared within less than one day after tickets were purchased, a refund for the difference would be happily issued by BA. So Tuesday afternoon, after much research and study, I decided to buy our annual RT tickets to France on British Air. I didn't worry. I "Booked With Confidence."
The next morning, I read an email from a price-shopping website and clicked on a few links to see what their prices were to Europe. Within a few clicks I came across the BA flight itinerary identical to that which I had just purchased from you (same date, same flights, same times, etc.), for approximately $50 less per person. I smiled...I wasn't worried, I was confident. After all, you'd promised to refund the difference.
I reread the page about the Price Promise, dutifully clicked on the link to file the claim, patiently and carefully filled in all the boxes correctly and accurately and sent it on its way, thrilled I had chosen to buy tickets with British Airways this time instead of my usual airline, American Airlines. After all, you told me to book with confidence and you were guaranteeing me the best price. I was a very happy BA Customer.
Then I get your piece-of-mealy-mouthed-garbage response. Apparently, somewhere deep in the bowels of your "further terms and conditions," there's a limitation that the request for refund must come by midnight of the date of purchase. So, theoretically, someone could buy tickets on the BA website at 11 p. m., watch the late night news, go to shut down the computer and read a new email advertising a cheaper fare, and you would shoot them down on your promise because they didn't get their claim in by midnight.
I would like to know, on a HUMAN level, how you feel about this deceitfulness. How do you feel about blatantly LYING to your customers about this so-called "Price Promise?" I suppose you can always fall back on a smug, self-serving "Well, they should've read the fine print" response, right? Sure, I should've.
I didn't realize I was taking out a bank loan to buy a house when I bought a ticket on your airplane. I actually believed your advertising, your lies of omission, and your deceit. I read VERY CAREFULLY all the information on the BA Price Promise page, including the Terms and Conditions, and followed all the rules...except for the hidden rules (I should have clicked on "further terms and conditions"). Boy, BA, I'll bet you were a lot of fun on the playground when you were a kid, huh? Were you the one who won all the games, but had no friends, because you made up new rules all the time, in the middle of the game?
I would really like to hear back from a human being about this. It's not even about the silly $100 -- that really doesn't mean much to me. It's about the goodwill you just lost from me. I was your happy customer, looking forward to my trip, pleased with the reasonably priced tickets I'd found. And now I'm truly ticked off and will be telling this story to everyone I know.
I will fly on your airplane for this trip, because I've purchased my tickets...but now, instead of extolling your virtues I'll be blowing the whistle on your deceit. Very simple: I believed your advertisements, bought the tickets, found a lower price WITHIN 24 HOURS, followed all your apparent rules, and you shot me down for a lousy $100 US dollars. And made a hater out of me.
WHY ONE SHOULD NOT TRAVEL BY BRITISH AIRWAYS. Our flight from Delhi to San Francisco via Heathrow started off on a rather bad note with fog delays causing the flight to move from 3:30 AM on the 30th December, to 7:30 AM. However, we were informed of the same by phone, and accordingly changed our plans to reach the airport by around 5 AM. I think I can pinpoint that THIS is probably where the nightmare started.
As we were standing in the check-in line, we were interrupted by a BA employee who surreptitiously informed us that the flight, BA 142, on the 30th December 2008 was further delayed to 11 AM. We looked around in confusion, since no sign reflected the change. However, due to her insistence, we called up our pickups in San Francisco, and informed them of the change.
When we reached the counter, however, we were more confused since the BA check-in lady, a young woman named ** seemed completely unaware of any change and calmly disregarded the info change to pack off our luggage. Since she was so convinced, we called our people back to tell them that there had been no change in our programme.
However, I insisted that she call the representative and tell her to stop spreading wrong information - which is when she made a call and realized that the flight had been changed. I found it highly unacceptable, that a BA desk representative did not even know that there was a change in itinerary and in fact after that, behaved like having that information was not her problem. Unbelievable!
The only high point was because of the mix-ups, we got to travel Club class for the first part of our journey (or rather because they had to stuff lots of people into our flight) which was to Heathrow. But since we reached Heathrow late, we missed our connecting flight to San Francisco, originally planned for 10:40 AM on BA 285 and had to stay a night in London.
When we finally boarded our flight to San Francisco, which was the same flight as above, but an entire day later, I had to go through the entire flight (a good 9 hours) with no food - simply because the travel information had not been updated by BA, and so there was absolutely no extra vegetarian food on the flight. I was curtly told I should have informed the officials during the booking, and they completely ignored me when I insisted that my preferences were even on my tickets more than 3 months ago, it was just that BA had not bothered to transfer the data.
However, through the trip, there was no effort made by the crew to try to help us out (there were more people like me, whose food prefs had not been updated by BA), and instead we had almost feel like it was our fault for not eating the 'sea bass'. (In fact one crew member insisted rudely that I should try it as an option - she just did not seem to understand that it was not a matter of fussy eating, it was a matter of vegetarianism).
Finally when we reached San Fran, our troubles reached their zenith when out of our 3 bags, 1 bag did not make its appearance. On questioning the BA staff, they told us that it was coming on the next flight and would be couriered to our house. Tired, hungry and in no mood to argue with such incompetence, we didn't even put up a fight. But days passed, and there was no sign of the bag. Repeated calls were to no avail and finally after 6 days, we physically went to the airport, hoping to get some answers there.
However, after waiting for almost 4 hours, the baggage services were nothing short of rude, saying that they had tons of bags lying at Heathrow and that we should stop complaining or creating a fuss - almost like its a gift to get your luggage along with you when you arrive at your destination! When we asked for at least compensation, since my husband was left in San Francisco in single digit temperatures with no shoes, coat, sweaters or clothes - we were made to wait till finally because of our insistence, anger or just because they wanted to get rid of us, they gave us $400 to temporarily keep us happy.
It has now been 15 days since we reached the US, and not once has BA on its own accord even called to let us know anything about our luggage. I am truly disgusted at their behavior, and what is more shocking is that everyone seems to know that BA is never to be trusted in terms of customer service or luggage. We have consciously decided never to travel BA again, and to inform all our friends and family as well (who already seem to know anyway) and would like to advise everyone to do the same.
SUDBURY -- Basically I used 300,000 bonus points via my British Airways executive membership of which I have belonged to for a number of years i.e. 2005. I have previously made flight both in first class and business class both for myself and family members. The points on this occasion were used to fly first class from Vancouver to London, London to Edinburgh and of course return.
At the time of the booking i.e. via the internet I was denied access to cancel the return flight from Edinburgh to London but since I was flying from London to Vancouver on the return journey it wasn't in my opinion a big deal to forfeit the flight from Edinburgh to London. Bearing in mind my points did have a monetary value and in my opinion that was a loss I could live with. British Airways executive club website did not allow me to cancel or manage the flights in question, it was return flights only.
On the return journey my wife and I arrived at the first class check-in counter at Heathrow and were informed that our return flights from Heathrow to Vancouver had been voided. The agent informed us that since we didn't get on the flight in Edinburgh that they automatically made the decision to void the ticket. This ticket i.e. Edinburgh to Heathrow had one boarding pass and the flight from Heathrow to London had a separate boarding pass and so I saw no connection or rational in BA's mentality or reasoning. After all, whether I booked using bonus points or money it was irrelevant in the sense the bonus/executive points had like I previously mentioned a monetary value.
My wife had a bacterium infection in her intestine and was extremely ill and it was necessary that I had to get her back to Vancouver a.s.a.p. I asked the first class ticket agent as well as the executive club agent what they could do for us. Both responses were a strong "Nothing". I was directed to the British Airway's ticket counter where I was informed that my first class seats were still available and I could purchase them for around $30,000 + if I wanted to.
I called for a supervisor as I thought this was outrageous. Here I was being denied my tickets that my points paid for. The supervisor was in one sense sympathetic but she also confirmed that the airline had done nothing wrong. The supervisor told me to wait while she went away to check on something. She returned fifteen minutes later only to tell me that she could do nothing as the (My) first class seats had been sold. Can you imagine how I was feeling and what this meant to my wife and I?
The agent then informed me that I could fly Club World but it would cost more for the upgrade from economy. My wife was poorly and this was not helping and I needed her to be as comfortable as possible. There was no compassion being shown towards me or my wife or her severe health condition. I had to pay 4800 pounds sterling in order to get home that day. The idea of my points/flights being voided and my seats being sold was an insult but British Airways didn't care one iota.
My thinking was that I would pay and accept being held to ransom by a company that speaks of customer service often but has absolutely no regard or understanding of what it feels like to have stood in our shoes that day. Please see attached letter re flight schedule, time date etc. My thinking was that my first priority would be to get my wife home and safe, then contact British Airways and hopefully discuss what transpired and again with the expectation that someone in all their wisdom would understand and appreciate what happened.
I immediately went on the internet and contacted the customer service dept. as well as BA's executive club. I sent them copies via registered mail of my documents. British Airways replied to me (See Reply #1) and in the last paragraph they mention that they did not meet their usual high standard on this occasion. The e-mail also mentions that as a "Goodwill Gesture" they have credited my executive account with 100,000 points and that they hope I will travel with them again - No chance.
In this e-mail they in a sense accept responsibility for the shabby way in which they handled the situation. Here I was an executive account member, with a sick wife, stranded in Heathrow airport with absolutely no compassion or empathy from British Airway employees. On the return flight I spoke with the crew and they couldn't believe how badly we had been treated and strongly suggested that I take this matter further.
I then contacted British Airways in response to the #1 response and told them that the points meant nothing to me and that I wanted a complete refund i.e. 4800 pounds sterling. I could have easily asked for more but I didn't. I received a second response, basically this response said that they did nothing wrong and that was that. I contacted them for a third time and insisted that they think this over. The third and last response from British Airways mentions that they have credited my Visa account for the sum of $704.00 X 2 for tickets. I have no idea what tickets they mean unless it was for the upgrade from economy to Club world.
This third response from British Airways once again is proof to me that they do in fact find themselves at fault, hence, why would they offer goodwill gestures and then deny responsibility and later credit my credit card account. I contacted them once again and informed them that I wasn't interested in points or small offerings. I am only interested in getting my complete 4800 pounds sterling refund.
British Airways may have sold my seats from Edinburgh to London to standby passengers and if they did, that's fine. I had already given/paid for the seats via points. British Airways sold my seats in first class for approximately $30,000 or roughly 19,000 pounds sterling. They were also paid 150,000 points by me of which I saw nothing. I also paid $2400 in taxes to British Airways and lost half of that amount as they took it upon themselves to void my tickets with no tax return. I had to pay further taxes in order to return home when I had to purchase two Club World tickets.
All in all, British Airways did wonderful on this transaction and the customer was robbed. This to me and to most reasonable minded people is double dipping, whereby British Airways could have easily have turned around and issued me my tickets in London or sold them to standby customers or offered them as an upgrade to other passengers had I not checked in on time but they had no right to sell my tickets and charge me a ridiculous amount in order to get us home. To the average person reading or hearing this 100% true story brings disbelief and anger.
My wife and myself were not only treated badly monetary wise but there was also a complete disregard for reasoning, understanding or even kindness. The British Airways staff act as if they are walking on a tightrope and they obviously have no decision making skills or authority to make a judgment call. They are robots who strut around and no doubt read "company policy" everyday of their sad lives. They must remember the key words - "Did you read the fine print?" "I'm sorry but there's nothing that can be done but we could or can make you an offer in the meantime." They are not customer service orientated, they are sales driven.
I realize or have since realized that most if not all airlines have this stupid policy of missing the start of a journey means that the journey in its entirety is voided. It's a policy that the governments around the world need to take a serious look at. There is absolutely no way an airline should be able to void a ticket from one destination to another if it has been paid for. If it has been paid for and nobody shows up, so what? They could I suppose try and sell it like I mentioned to a standby passenger but why should the person who has already paid for it be punished? It's a loophole whereby the airlines are rubbing their greasy palms.
I won't even consider flying with British Airways after this event. They say one thing and mean another, they tell you that they are sorry for their performance and then they deny any responsibility and then they make a small credit to your credit card account hoping you will go away. British Airways are a huge company and without doubt feel that they are untouchable.
They no doubt think "Who is this ** anyway? He will end up going away and we will have another hundred or ten thousand ** still to come. So what if we lose ** account or business, who cares? I'm sure the people of the U.K. and Canada and the U.SA. care and would be equally appalled by British Airways failure to use some common sense and reasoning . I'm sure that they will see what sort of company British Airways are and how they treat their regular travelers.
DC, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA -- I am extremely disappointed with the customer service of British Airways. My situation may be unique, but it was one of the worst experiences my wife and I have ever had. We booked a trip to London from DC leaving Aug 2nd and arriving Aug 3rd (BA0216). My wife is a Jamaican citizen but permanent resident in the US. She called the Customs Border Protection in the US to see what would be needed before the trip (she had her passport and green card). They never mentioned needing a VISA.
We checked in with the reservation agent at the Dulles airport who checked our paperwork and sent us to go through security. After going through security, the TSA agent checked our information and let us on the plane. After getting to London, the customs agent asked my wife for her Visa. We were both amazed at this question and she told him that she didn't have one nor was told she needed one.
The customs agent told her that the airline should never have let her on the plane and she was taken for questioning for 10 hours. I was not able to have contact with her the whole time. It was miserable. She was literally being treated like a terrorist or threat to the country. She was terrified as a result.
After the long drawn out wait, they told me that they were sending my wife back to the US and that I was on my own to find a flight back. I had to spend another 3 hours in the airport trying to get on a standby flight, which never panned out. Finally my only option was to pay a change flight fee of $278.04 dollars and then the difference in cost for another flight to Philadelphia, PA ($178.37), which left on Aug 5th.
I then had to find a ride from Philadelphia to DC. My wife in the mean time had to find a place to say until I got back since she did not have the car keys or house keys (again they did not let me see her). After speaking with the Customer Relations person at British Airways, she stated that there was nothing that they can do as it is the passenger's responsibility to know what documentation was needed. This is not correct as the customs agent specifically said that the airline should not have let us on the plane.
In addition, the reservations attendant in London for British Airways confirmed this as well. Lastly, the Customer Relations person also stated that customs would fine the airline $2000 for the mistake (which customs in London mentioned as well). If British Airways is to be fined, that tells me it is their responsibility to check the correct documentation before letting a passenger on board.
The only offer they provided for resolution was a travel voucher for $274.04. This is potentially pointless as I have no intentions ongoing back to London within the next year. It was a $3000+ trip that was wasted already and like most people, a once in a lifetime trip that we would have loved to enjoy.
I am typically not one to complain and appreciate great service, but this was beyond miserable, it was horrific and something no law abiding person should go through. I am not asking for much to be whole again. A refund back to my card (not a voucher) for the change flight fee ($274.04), difference in airline ticket ($178.37) and seats paid for on the original return flight of BA265 ($52) is more than reasonable to make this right ($504.41). If British Airways was able to check the necessary documentation fully and correctly as Customs stated, I would not have had to incur these extra fees nor experienced the traumatizing experience that went on for 12+ hours.
My husband and I planned for months a once in a lifetime trip to Italy and Switzerland. I started by purchasing new luggage. In May started buying all new clothing for this wonderful trip totaling about $2000. We bought our tickets from British Airways, thinking they were the premium airlines for international travel. Over $3000 for the seats.
On September 1st we depart Denver international airport for Rome, we are excited. We land in Rome and learn BA has lost her luggage. We file the lost luggage paperwork, including our contact information, cell phone and e-mail address. We are told we will get it within 48 hrs. We stayed in Rome 4 days making numerous phone calls to BA, getting the constant message, "due to high volume of calls we cannot take your call try again later" never was able to talk to a live person. We check the luggage tracer website daily.
On the 3rd day in Rome while in a crowded Subway, my husband is pick pocketed and his wallet is taken containing credit cards, driver's license and about 300. Before leaving Rome we purchase a new suitcase and some new clothes. All we ever read on the website is still tracing. We update our temporary hotel address to Naples for 2 nights, still no luggage and no communication from BA.
We update our address on World luggage tracer to Positano for 2 nights, still no luggage. We again update our temporary hotel address to Florence for 3 nights, checking the web daily, still tracing. Update our temporary hotel address to Verona for 2 nights on the luggage tracer website. It is still tracing.
We have now been traveling around Italy by train for about 16 days still no luggage and no communication from BA. We arrive in Geneva for 2 nights and while exiting the very crowded train station we have our backpack stolen containing my husbands passport, I-pad, I-phone, digital camera, rx sunglasses. We immediately go to the police station and file a report. My husband now has no identification at all. We check in to our hotel to figure out what we are going to do.
On Friday morning we walk to the US Consulate to see about getting a replacement passport. The web says they are open from 10:00 - 1:00, we arrive at 9:45 to be told by security they are closed today. Doing more reading online learn replacement, passports can only be issued at the US Embassy in Bern. Today took the train to the Geneva airport to talk to BA about our travel options, we have to cancel our trip home and buy train tickets to Bern.
On Sunday we will take the train to Bern, check in a hotel so we can be at the embassy at 9:30 when they open. While at the airport we inquire about the luggage, well they are still tracing and told us that after 21 days they stop tracing and consider it lost.
We asked about upgrading our seats for all of the inconvenience and were told no. File a lost luggage claim when we get home. No apology or anything, it's apparently the way they handle customer service. I really don't understand how the pride of the UK can do business this way. British Airways is worse than the lowest rated regional airline in the US. They at least sub out their customer service to some 3rd world country.
DEFENCE STATEMENT - ** vs. BRITISH AIRWAYS. I would like to point out to the Court that I have given BA at least 5 to 6 chances to resolve this matter with letters being sent to them since April 2010. Last of all I sent them a copy of my "Small Claims Court" summons dated 15.12.10 asking them to reconsider their position and refund my money before I take Court proceedings against them. See photocopy (A). I am 67 years old and was on my way to America to sail my Catamaran which I keep in the USA. I was looking forward to my trip and not looking for trouble, not wishing to pick a fight and I am not a load mouthed drunken trouble maker, as is being inferred by British Airways.
My wife and I are seasoned air travelers flying long haul 3 or 4 times a year to Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, New York, Boston & Washington, and are well versed with Airport security, and I might add, we agree with the high level of security necessary in today's air travel. Having stated I agree with the high level of security required at airport check-in, I am therefore unlikely to object to being search a second/third time, as is being suggested by BA, as long as I know what is happening, which is not the case at Heathrow.
The charge against me is not cooperating with the staff, even though I cooperated in full with gate 10 staff. There seems to be a difference of opinion between how gate staff interprets cooperation or being rude and the supervisor's version of rude. Gate 10 staff got full cooperation from me and my wife without being rude, the Supervisor was out of order shouting in my face. I suggest BA staff take a leaf out of the "Customs & Border Protection Agency" in the USA; they pledge to treat the public with dignity & respect & to perform their duties in a professional manner, unlike the BA Supervisor who acted like a football hooligan. I get called Sir in the USA, not treated like a PIG.
The shouting Supervisor was almost foaming at the mouth and is claiming (and I quote) I was rude to gate staff & impeding the pre-flight search procedures & I refused to discuss the matter with her. Let's look at all 3 charges as we go through my statement. I think you will find her to be wrong; and while we are at it, what shall we call her unprovoked attack on me Customer Service BA style. I was rude to gate staff. Asking questions is not being rude. I was impeding pre-flight search procedures. BA impeded themselves. I refused to discuss the matter with the Supervisor. I was never asked to discuss anything, I was only shouted at. Where was the discussion, I never had one.
My wife and I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5 in good time for our flight to the USA, we preceded through all security checks and arrived at gate 10 with time to spare, ready to fly. No trouble so far, everything was fine. We sat down, I was reading my book, 5 to 10 minutes later the Tannoy announced that Passengers ** and others are to come to the desk. I went forward and quietly asked what they wanted, and was informed that an additional search was needed, did I objected.
I thought for 5-10 seconds saying to myself, if I ask questions they will become suspicious of me but, I thought my baggage might have raised an alarm, because of the "Metal Bolts" inside the case (see photos). I replied, can I ask questions without jeopardizing my position, the answer was YES, but as it turns out she meant YES it will jeopardize your position, as is the case.
I then said, I don't mind the search as long as I know what sort of search my wife will be subjected to, on reflection I think I am the only person to ask this question, all the others just said yes, and this is what dammed me, they took objection to being asked questions they could not or did not wish to answer. I was told the American Government requested it, which is not the answer to my question. I was then told by gate 10 staff that if I refused to have the search I could not fly. This put me on my guard not to say or do anything objectionable, just stay cool and ask questions, no need to do anything to prevent me flying and you have been given permission to ask questions.
I was mindful of two things: my wife was searched & questioned for nearly 4 hours when she first arrived in England back in 1996 and 12 years ago when I went to Hong Kong. I was stopped by security and had my suitcase searched in an adjacent room because I had metal objects in the suitcase, like I had this day, see photographs of the metal bolts in my case.
I asked was there a heightened state of security because my baggage might be suspect (bearing in mind I had metal bolts in my case) I was told NO. I then asked what sort of search was my wife to be subjected too, staff member (1) said - The US Government required the search. I asked the question again because they were telling me who required the search, not what sort of search was required, the second staff member stepped forward and repeated the answer, puffing up his chest and standing there gesturing with back off body language, with which I did.
I pointed out that neither answer told me what sort of search it would be, only who required it, could I be told more about the search please. I felt I needed to know if my wife needed to: Remove her clothes. Internal search. Who would be conducting the search, a man or woman, NOBODY KNEW THE ANSWER? I thought this was very strange, considering that the Security service conducting the search did not know what sort of search they intend to carry out, only that the US Government required it.
So here I was, on my guard not to upset anybody but BA staff were not answering my questions and making things difficult for me. I was sent to the main desk to ask there. I posed the question again to a lady who replied "I don't know. I will phone and find out."
No problems so far, just quietly went through the process of getting answer. I stood waiting for a minute or two without saying anything to staff members; nothing was going on, when out of the blue the lady suddenly said, the search was a simple touch search, there was no requirement for clothes to be removed, neither was there an internal search required and it would be conducted by a woman. I agreed straight away and said I would send my wife over to be search. NO PROBLEMS AT THIS POINT but I thought BA have not been very helpful & wasted time. I was told my wife should bring her hand luggage because once through gate control she would be ready to fly.
MY THOUGHTS SO FAR. I wondered why she phoned somebody to find out the answer to my questions when she knew the answer all along. Why not answer my questions in the first place, instead of being difficult. She was impeding per-flight proceedings, not me, which I have been accused of and I might add I was not rude either. To be rude you have to say something detrimental to a staff member, I only asked "What search and who by?"
That is not being rude. On two counts of the accusations I am not at fault. BA staff caused their own delays by not answering my questions which they knew the answer too & I was not rude. I went back and told my wife to have the search done which she did.
WITNESS STATEMENT: At this point my wife's witness statement should be taken into consideration: I was searched without any reference to my husband having been rude to anybody. I was asked to join the queue. I was searched and cleared to fly. I even got on the bus ready for the flight. At this point there was NO trouble, NO acquisitions that my Husband had been rude or had done anything wrong. I could see clearly from where I was sitting that my husband was simply asking questions.
Having sent my wife off to be searched, I sat down to read my book again, (not causing trouble). After about 10 minutes all hell let loose. I heard a thundering noise like a herd of Elephants thundering towards me, I looked up and saw two BA staff members heading for me. I have no idea what she was shouting at me for. I have no idea what this was all about, everything had been agreed and sorted.
QUESTION: Why did the Supervisor choose to charge at Mr. ** shouting at him, what did she hope to gain? A shouting match. Civil discussion. NO SHE WANTED BLOOD. Why not approach him in a civil manner, firstly introducing yourself to him; he did not know who you were. Why not speak to him in a calm & normal voice instead of shouting at him? Do you normally conduct yourself in this unruly manner, Mr ** is an OAP, not a kick boxer, wisely he just sat down and waited for the Supervisor to calm down - that did not come to pass, she wanted revenge and got it.
What happened next was outrageous. I was verbally attacked. There is no other description that describes what happened. I was reading my book and got verbally attacked by the BA Supervisor. There was no discussion as claimed by BA. I was just shouted at. And I want charges brought against her. I was taken aback by the heavy handed approach. I was not asked to explain anything. I was not asked to do anything. I did not have to comply with any request. I was just being shouted at.
Not being used to people shouting at me for no reason, all I could think of was that the first lady who made the phone call must have said something derogatory about me to the Supervisor, stirring up trouble, otherwise why were they both thundering towards me looking for blood, after everything was sorted out without trouble and without being rude.
What was in her mind? What had changed the situation? I had done nothing wrong. What turned a quiet Thursday morning into a blood bath? I had not even spoken to the Supervisor before. Who had said something to change the situation from all quiet to a Supervisor shouting match? What made her thunder towards me and start shouting at me? What had happened to cause this? I have no idea.
Under this barrage of abuse, I felt it best to say and do as little as possible; do not I said to myself enter into an argument for fear of being stopped from flying. After a while of listening to this barrage of abuse, I said to the Supervisor - from my point of view, would you please:
"Stop shouting at me and conduct yourself in a professional manner. Get out of my face. It's not polite to shout at people and it's very rude. Everything has been agreed with your staff and sorted out; my wife has had the search. What is all the shouting about; everything is under control and I have conformed and complied with BA staff instructions?" (Under BA rules 7a7 - 7a8).
I just sat down to distance myself from being shouted at any more, hoping to take the sting out of the confrontational stance taken by the Supervisor, also hoping that by doing nothing she would calm down. She did not calm down; she just stuck the knife in so to speak. I just sat there; I guess she was standing there fuming because I would not enter into a slanging match with her, giving her reason to ban me from flying. I was trying to cool the temperature down.
There was no further discussion as claimed by BA, I was not asked any questions, I was not asked to explain why I asked questions of the gate staff, she did not seek further cooperation from me, as claimed by BA, she did nothing but stand there Glaring at me fuming with rage. The next I heard was her saying "THAT'S IT" and she walked off. I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG. MY QUESTION IS: WHAT DID SHE WANT TO DISCUSS?
Why her staff did not know what sort of search to conduct. Why did I want to know what sort of search was required. Was my Baggage suspect with the bolts inside? Which of BA rule have I not conformed with? In truth I conformed with all BA rules 7a7 or 7a8. She asked me nothing, she said nothing, and there was no instruction for me to conform with. She just stood there bolt upright, staring at me with rage in her eyes but asked me NOTHING.
I continued to sit reading my book waiting to check in. When I arrived at the gate I was told I/we were not flying today, I asked why, she did not have a clear answer, just something about I was rude and she decided to cancel my flight. I could fly tomorrow on BA, but not today. That was that, I collected my baggage and booked on the BA flight the next day. No problems from me the next day, neither on the return flight 5 months later. I am not a trouble maker.
Conclusion: I was not rude to BA Staff in my opinion; BA staffs were rude to me. This Supervisor does not know the words Diplomacy and Customer service, all she knows is attack, Shout load and be rude to people and she should be dismissed. I confirmed that asking questions did not jeopardize my position, but it did. Being told I could not fly if did not have the search done warned me to be civil, I was civil. I conformed with all BA rules & requirements in a civil manner under section 7a7 & 7a8.
I do object to being shouted at but, did not react adversely, I just sat down. Not being asked by the Supervisor to say or do anything, not being asked to explain anything, not being asked to cooperate, is not being belligerent, I was waiting for the Supervisor to calm down and conduct herself in a professional & civil manner, she did not, she stormed off in a rage and took out her vengeance on me by stopping me Flying.
Trying to stay out of trouble by sitting down is hardly me being abusive or non cooperative as claimed in BA letter dated 22.11.10 third paragraph. (You refused to discuss the matter with her that is why you were refused travel). (There was no discussion in a civil manner, only a shouting match by the Supervisor). I was not load, rude, drunk, disrespectful or bad mannered. In truth it was BA Supervisor who was load, rude, disrespectful and bad mannered, not me. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING CHARGES OF ASSAULT & VERBAL INTIMIDATION AGAINST THE BA SUPERVISOR IF I CAN ACQUIRE HER NAME & ADDRESS.
I arrived the following day, having purchased a second ticket off BA to fly to Washington. BA offer a 5* service for customers with 5* manners and codes of conduct and requirements, only to find that the staff they employ are AGGRESSIVE 2* SUPERVISORS, with the manners and up bringing to match the Gutter they come from, and are ill-equipped to provide a 2* service, let alone the 5* service both BA and I require.
My out of pocket expenses I am claiming back are as follows: 2nd BA Flight on 30th April to USA 862.00. Car ride back to Poole Dorset 20.00. National Express coach back to Heathrow 42.90. Taxi to Hotel in USA 48.00. 2nd Hotel booking in USA 93.00. Total 1,065.90 plus 8% compound interest from the 29.03.10.
On October 7th I was booked to fly from Moscow to London and onward to Boston. Since I frequently buy books in Russia I had my usual large number of 15 bags. Over the past twenty years I have on at least 40 occasions paid for 12 to 16 overweight bags. This trip was supposed to be no exception.
I prepaid on line for 10 bags fully preparing to pay extra at the airport for the 4 remaining bags. I noted that the BA British website only allows for prepayment of 10 bags although it does not mention any specific limit of bags allowed to be checked at the airport. The US site states that a passenger may check up to 20 bags.
Unfortunately BA has hired Estline to service its customers at Domodedovo airport. I have has some rather negative experiences in the past with this outfit. The main complaint is that its employees are politely ignorant of rules and rule changes.
October 7th was no different. A Miss **? [Unfortunately I do not have immediately at hand her exact name: about 5' 6" tall, blond hair, roundish face working as a cashier in BA booth at airport across from the check-in counter] who was supposed to represent Estline stated categorically that I could not check in the extra four bags showing me some typed copy outlining the regulation which she said came from the BA website. I had never seen this regulation before. Her comment is simply not true as your site says nothing about the inability to check more than 10 bags [+ one free bag per passenger]. She refused to discuss the matter further.
When I asked her for advice she simply said "Go to BA cargo." She was, however, unaware of the BA notice that its cargo division no longer dealt with individual passengers and they now have to hire a freight forwarder. In fact I don't think she knew was the latter actually was.
There was no compromise, no helping hand but simply an adamant refusal to allow any additional bags. When I told her I had only a few months ago checked 15 bags she stated that was impossible because she had been working at the airport for two years and nothing like that ever happened. I asked her to check the BA database where she would find that I have regularly over the last twenty [20!!!] years checked more than 10 bags. She refused.
I then asked her to let the 4 bags go through but to make a note on my passenger file-record that I had been warned that for future travel only 10 bags may be allowed. Again she refused. I then asked her to send the bags ahead as unaccompanied luggage from the BA Moscow office to the BA office in Boston. She refused saying that was "illegal." [How could that be???!!!]. In the end, I had to leave the bags with Left Luggage [**] for a sum of 790 rubles a day. The claim tag number is 3285 and the receipt number for monies paid [**] for the first day is 3285.
Now here is what I want you to do: At the very least, go and retrieve the bags so that the bill does not accumulate. I then want you to send these bags to me in Boston. You may balk and protest but I state that it is YOUR fault the bags are still in Moscow. Also Estline was singularly uncooperative and ignorant of BA site comments and totally unsympathetic to a customer's urgent needs. Ms certainly needs a refresher course on how to deal fairly and sympathetically with BA's paying passengers.
Your site instructions are confusing and contradictory especially in light of your acceptance over the years including 2010 of all my additional bags [until Oct. 7th]. Please consider this a most URGENT matter. Not only does Left Luggage have three my bags of very valuable books I need for my research, it also has my suitcase with eyeglasses and prescription pills I desperately need. I cannot return to Russia for at least three months and certainly I, nor does BA, wish to face a baggage charge of over $2,100 PER MONTH!!!
Lastly, I have been flying BA to Russia since 1980. Is there not any BA commitment to honorably serving your passengers? Should you not be making some compromising gesture that would ensure continued loyalty particularly when I feel this mess is a result of your misleading and ever changing baggage policy?
To date I have heard nothing. There does not seem to be a sense of urgency with BA. Well, wait until they find out what the legal ramifications are!!!
Our family of four, my husband, I, my 10-year-old and my infant daughter, recently took flight BA279 from Heathrow London to Los Angeles California on Aug 15th. Based on your policy, we called three days ahead of time to fix the seat of our family members so we can all sit together in the infant seat, row 29 or 40.
However, the BA representative was not able to assign the seat for us because they were already taken. Based on her saying, those seats were already taken and her online seat assignment system did not allow her to assign those seats for us anymore. My husband and the baby can sit on 40C, but my son and I will have to sit on another row. She would recommend us to go to the airport on the day of departure and try to fix it there. That was three days before our departure date we were informed about this. So we thought there might other families traveling with infants. So we completely understood the situation without arguing and would like to try our luck in the airport.
On the date of our departure, we went to the airport 3 hours before our departure time just to see if we had the luck of getting our seats reassigned. We were informed that BA was NOT able to change the seat for us and there were no seats of three on our flight. Therefore, we had to sit separately. Again, disappointing, but we realized that we might be the late comer as family traveling with infant so we took the way it was.
What irritates us was after we boarded, we noticed that most of the infant seats were taken by group of young adults and family with no disabled or young travelers. We noticed that there were only 2 infants sitting in the infant seat areas, one in the middle of row 29 and the other is my husband with our daughter on 40C. There were some other infants sitting in the regular seats with their family and the parents had to hold them in their arm for the whole trip because the flight was really full. All other "supposed to be infant seat" were taken by regular travellers.
We talked to the flight attendants and they told us those people sitting in the infant seats area might have fixed their seats in a way that they were not able to help us to change. Therefore, if the people are not willing to switch seat voluntarily, we would have to sit separately. We talked to most of the people and of course none of them are willing to give those seats away even though there are people who have real needs of them.
What is going on? How did this happen? We do not know what "in a way" means but it must have something to do with the money they paid? Or their travel agent might have some special magic to fix the infant seat assignment for them way before 3 days of the departure time so the family traveling with infant will not even have a chance?
Our 10-hour flight was a miserable experience. We ended up sitting next to an extremely rude European family of four who were extremely selfish for the entire trip and were not even willing to move their ass out of the seat to let my husband and baby go to bathroom. All in all, we do not appreciate the seat assignment at all. Mostly upsettingly, no one from BA is willing to help us and we had a feeling this is just a dirty money driven business with no business ethics!
I have been flying BA for years and recently, after I moved from London to Beijing for work, I have been flying them very frequently. They have always been fine... until I had my first issue. Firstly, I booked a return flight and needed to change the return date. I was informed online and by the UK office that I had to contact the local BA office in Beijing to do this at least a day before travel. The week before travel I did so, only to be cut off due to a dodgy phone line. I called back several times. The day before travel I was out of town on a work trip so I emailed the BA customer support and explained the issue. I tried the UK only to be out of biz hours.
I assumed they would have records of my calls and emails and that even though a new flight had not been booked, they would understand I had been trying to get through so would be flexible. This is when the volcano issues happened. Since I wasn't flying over this period, I thought I would leave the lines to disrupted passengers and continued exchanging emails with customer support.
These email received nonsensical responses, full of very elaborate apologies but no advice or solutions. Finally I just thought I'd sacrifice that flight and use miles to buy another flight online. The cost of the extra miles and the staggering tax (almost £300) meant that using miles to buy the flight cost the same as buying the flight outright?!
I thought I would call customer service in the UK to give me some advice. I explained the situation and the woman on the phone was so strange. They must be stressed because after putting me on hold for 15 minutes she was just unnecessarily rude. I wasn't even complaining. I just wanted them to either explain to me the situation or offer some advice. She just kept repeating "there is nothing we can to resolve these issues" in answer to every question I asked. "Is it possible to refund the miles I bought as my flight costs the same as it would directly, plus 30,000 miles?"
"There is nothing we can to resolve these issues." "Is there anyway you can access my correspondence and call records to propose an alternative solution to my lost flight." "There is nothing we can to resolve these issues." "Is there anyone else I can call or email as the online customer response team don't appear to understand my emails?" "There is nothing we can to resolve these issues," etc.
I know that technically the guidelines specify that I don't deserve a refund or a rescheduled flight, and I wouldn't even be writing here if I had even been listened to with the slightest bit of courtesy, but at each stage they have been so impolite and unhelpful. So different from my experiences using Virgin (who also do direct from Beijing to London).
Sadly, I have 3 future return flights booked with BA in the next few months (something else that didn't encourage even the slightest hint of cooperation with the customer service rep) so will have to wait till after them to make the switch. In the meantime, I'll be changing the flights of my London and Beijing staff to Virgin and recommending to my clients to steer clear of BA. Actions which I doubt would even bother the BA team...


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This is a collection of mathematics problems relating to the moons of the solar system. Learners will use simple proportional relationships and work with fractions to study the relative sizes of the larger moons in our solar system, and explore how... (View More) temperatures change from place to place using the Celsius and Kelvin scales. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free
In this lesson students investigate the effects of black carbon on arctic warming and are introduced to a mechanism of arctic warming that is not directly dependent on greenhouse gases in the atmosphere: black carbon deposition on Arctic snow and... (View More) ice. It can also be used to introduce the concept of albedo. Prerequisite knowledge: students understand the concepts of absorption and reflection of light energy. This lesson is designed to be used with either an Earth/environmental science or chemistry curriculum. It may also be used as an enrichment activity in physics or physical science during a unit on energy. Includes suggested modifications for students with special needs and low technology option. Requires advance preparation, including freezing ice samples overnight. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $10 - $20 per group of students

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Scenic Highway 197
Clarkesville, GA 30523
Leave your city blues behind and travel off the beaten path to the mountains and lakes of northeast Georgia. Meander down Scenic Hwy 197 where you can stop to have a morning biscuit, go fly fishing, shop for handmade arts and crafts, experience fine dining, stay at cozy bed and breakfasts, or camp at Moccasin Creek State Park or nearby Unicoi.
Start in the historic town of Clarkesville where Hwy 197 heads north, or head west from Clayton and enjoy the beauty of Lakes Burton, Lake Rabun and Lake Seed. Regional arts include pottery, painting, stained glass, woodcarving, rustic furniture, and other work by many local artisans. Eat lunch in historic Batesville and dine on the shores of Lake Burton. Trout abound on the beautiful Soque River, and deer roam the woods. Tuck your head on your pillow after a long leisurely day and listen to the sounds of nature. Northeast Georgia's Scenic Highway 197 invites you to enjoy it all.
Info & Amenities
Hours of Operation
Sunday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Monday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Tuesday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Wednesday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Thursday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Friday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Saturday: 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Admission & Fees
Admission Fee $0.00
Facility Amenities
Free Parking
Gift Shop
Maps & Brochures Available
Public Restrooms
Restaurant on Site
Self-guided Tours
General Information
Free Admission
Handicapped Accessible (Limited)
Open Year 'Round
Group Amenities
Suitable for Ages
All Ages


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Browsing Department of Biology by Author "Nemec, Michelle D."
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Analysis of Escherichia coli populations in a large watershed. Nemec, Michelle D. (2008-06-10)Escherichia coli are one of the most common model organisms used today. This organism has played an integral role in our understanding of bacterial conjugation, phage genetics, and gene structure, and it is also responsible ...


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Carrygerry is a Charming "Old World" Country House, full of History, which was built in 1793, near Shannon, in the Scenic County Clare in the West of Ireland, just off the Wild Atlantic Way Drive.
Although less then 10 minutes from Shannon International Airport, you will experience a Country House atmosphere of peace & tranquillity, with antique furnishings & glowing fires.
There are eleven bedrooms, all are en-suite but each one is individually styled, all decorated in keeping with the character of the house.
We have the ideal location for your Shannon Wedding, we can cater for receptions from 20 to 100 people.


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You have likely heard of the Pioneer accountable care organization. The CMS chose Pioneer ACOs based on the infrastructure already in place that the CMS deemed closely related to an ACO model. This was an early "testing" phase for the Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO. Pioneer ACOs are subject to different shared savings methodology. There are 32 Pioneer ACOs throughout the country.
What You Should Know About Accountable Care Organizations
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) may permit podiatric physicians to participate in shared savings via a Medicare program. This author details how podiatric practices can take advantage of ACO participation and provides insights on the specifics of the programs.
Healthcare reform has ignited many buzzwords. By now, you certainly have heard about accountable care organizations (ACOs) and the Medicare Shared Savings Program although you still may have questions about how they affect you as a DPM.
More than 250 organizations are participating in various Medicare shared savings initiatives.1 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) report that as of January 2013, more than 4 million traditional Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (up from 2.4 million in 2012) are receiving care from providers participating in Medicare shared savings initiatives.2 That represents more than 10 percent of the overall Medicare fee for service program, according to Jonathan Blum, the CMS Acting Principal Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare.3 You may or may not be participating in an ACO yet but either way, you need to be informed about what an ACO is and how it might affect your practice.
The ACO is a separate legal entity with its own taxpayer identification number. Often hospital systems and networks of physician groups form the ACO, but roughly half of all Medicare Shared Savings ACOs are physician-led organizations. Approximately 20 percent of ACOs include community health centers, rural health centers and critical access hospitals that serve low-income and rural communities.4 The ACO contracts with the CMS to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which the CMS established on January 1, 2012 pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 § 3022.4
The Medicare Shared Savings Program's goals are to promote accountability for a patient population; coordinate care under Medicare Parts A and B; and encourage investment in infrastructure and improved care processes for high quality care and efficient service delivery. The ACO is the central healthcare model to establish the Medicare Shared Savings Program's goals.
The ACO's revenue comes from shared savings it receives from Medicare if the cost of Medicare Parts A and B services to the ACO's patient population is lower than the benchmark and the ACO meets certain quality measures.4 Accountable care organizations that also share the risk of increased costs would receive a greater potential share of cost savings than ACOs that are solely aligned to share in potential savings. Healthcare providers still get traditional Medicare fee-for-service payments for providing the care whether or not the ACO meets the cost saving and quality measure targets. Therefore, if you are part of an ACO, you are still getting paid on a fee-for-service basis from Medicare for your services.
The structure of an ACO is "patient centered" with the primary care physician playing the central role of coordinating and facilitating access to needed services and specialists. The ACO must be accountable for at least 5,000 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries for a three-year period while also adhering to CMS defined quality measures.4 As I will explain later in this article, generally beneficiaries are attributed to the ACO to which the primary care doctor belongs. Keep in mind that rules governing ACOs are subject to change as all entities involved, including the CMS, gain more experience and knowledge.
Is ACO just another name for HMO? While the ACO network bears some resemblance to health management organizations (HMOs), there are significant differences. Unlike with HMOs, patients are free to seek services or providers outside of the ACO network. The cost to the patient does not change if he or she sees a provider outside of the ACO network. Also unlike HMOs, generally the ACO does not function as a pre-paid per capita (i.e., capitation) model although ACOs could move in this direction in the future. Medicare patients enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan are not Medicare ACO beneficiaries.
Understanding The Role Of DPMs In ACOs
Podiatrists may provide podiatric medical care to ACO patients and may also participate in shared savings. However, a DPM is not an ACO "professional" who is eligible to form an ACO under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
An "ACO professional" is a role that is limited to an MD, DO, NP, PA or clinical nurse specialist. There are various arrangements that satisfy eligibility to form an ACO:
1) accountable care organization professionals in group practices
2) networks of individual ACO professionals
3) partnerships or joint venture arrangements between hospitals and ACO professionals
4) hospitals employing ACO professionals
5) federally qualified health centers
6) rural health clinics
7) some critical access hospitals
Since a DPM does not qualify as an ACO professional, you cannot form your own ACO with other DPMs. However, the practical effect of podiatric physicians' exclusion from the definition of ACO professional appears to be minimal given your ability to participate in the ACO and receive shared savings.
Even though a DPM is not an ACO professional who is eligible to form an ACO, a DPM may be an "ACO participant." ACO participants are eligible to participate in the ACO's governing body. There is no requirement that all or any specific specialties be represented within the governing body.
An accountable care organization must have a senior-level medical director overseeing clinical management. Among other requirements, the medical director must be a "board-certified MD." Keep in mind that all ACO participants must comply with the ACO's processes and are accountable for the ACO's performance standards. There may be other leadership positions that DPMs may fulfill. To stay informed about your ACO's activities and reinforce the podiatrist's integral role in the provision of coordinated care to the ACO's patients, it is beneficial for you to seek leadership responsibilities when they are available.
Unlike primary care physicians who are generally limited to participating in only one ACO, podiatrists, like other specialists, may have a contractual relationship with more than one ACO. You would then be responsible for any potential risks, rewards or requirements associated with each agreement.
At this time, podiatrist participation in an ACO is largely limited to podiatrists who are part of or who contract with a large physician group or health system. The sizable start-up costs, information technology requirements and care coordination requirements necessary to qualify for an ACO contract with the CMS impede small physician groups from applying to the CMS for an ACO contract. An ACO network is not required to accept any specialty or "any willing provider" into its network. Therefore, your ability to demonstrate quality outcomes, evidence-based medicine and cost containment is particularly important if you are interested in participating in an ACO.
However, remember that Medicare beneficiaries in an ACO are not required to see doctors who participate in their ACO. The patients' freedom to see out-of-ACO-network physicians distinguishes the Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO from a HMO.
While individual DPMs cannot form their own ACO and there is no requirement to include any specific specialty or any individual provider in an ACO, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination against classes of providers, such as podiatrists. This is effective on January 1, 2014. This is an important protection for DPMs and one we are sure to hear more about in the future.
If you are not a participant in an ACO, a patient still has the freedom to go outside of the ACO network for medically necessary services and this can include you as a DPM. According to CMS, a beneficiary always retains the right to see the specialist of his or her choice, whether the specialist is a part of an ACO or not. The CMS is responsible for providing educational materials for beneficiaries so they understand their rights. However, you may want to communicate proactively with your patients. Your relationship with a patient need not end, even if you do not contract with or are not part of the Medicare ACO.
A Guide To Beneficiary Assignment To An ACO
Beneficiary assignment occurs in two steps. The first step is that CMS assigns beneficiaries who have received primary care services from a primary care physician to that primary care physician's ACO. For any remaining beneficiaries who did not receive any primary care services from a primary care physician but received at least one such service from a physician specialist, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant, the second step is the CMS assigns such beneficiaries to the ACO of the non-primary care physician from whom the beneficiary received the plurality of primary care services.
The CMS provides the ACO with a preliminary prospective assignment of beneficiaries based upon the patients' past utilization of primary care services. The CMS will conduct a final reconciliation of assigned beneficiaries after each performance year based on actual utilization. The healthcare community has voiced concerns that this final retroactive reassignment impedes the ACO's ability to coordinate and monitor patient care for the ACO population. However, the CMS has refused to assign patients to an ACO prospectively.
Essential Insights On Savings Considerations With ACOs
The agreement between the CMS and an ACO is three years in duration. The CMS allows ACOs to elect to participate under two different shared savings models, either one-sided or two-sided. Under the one-sided model, during the first three-year agreement, an ACO shares only savings (if any). Upon the next agreement, the ACO assumes risk for shared losses in addition to shared savings, effectively transitioning to the two-sided model. Under the two-sided model, during the initial three-year agreement, an ACO assumes risk for losses as well as shared savings (if any).
By sharing risk, the ACO must repay to the CMS any shared losses for expenditures that exceed the benchmark, subject to certain limitations. The benchmark is initially based on the weighted average of Parts A and B expenditures for the ACO population for the three years preceding the initial agreement. Then it will be updated to the applicable performance year based on certain demographic changes and projected risk factors for new beneficiaries.
An ACO is eligible for shared savings only if actual Medicare Parts A and B expenditures are below the benchmark amount by at least the "minimum savings rate." The minimum savings rate for the one-sided (shared savings only) model is between 2 and 3.9 percent depending upon the size of the ACO's assigned population. The minimum savings rate for the two-sided model (shared savings and risk) is 2 percent. The shared savings is based on the first dollar once the ACO meets the minimum savings rate.
The CMS also established maximum percentage savings. In the one-sided model, the ACO can share up to 50 percent of savings while the two-sided model enables ACOs to share up to 60 percent of savings. The purpose of these boundaries is to protect the CMS from paying bonuses to ACOs for random, statistical fluctuations that are unrelated to ACO activities while also encouraging participation and investment in the program.
An ACO must have clear criteria by which it will distribute possible shared savings among participants and how it will use shared savings to improve care for beneficiaries and decrease beneficiary spending. Conversely, an ACO that is subject to shared losses must have a mechanism for payment of its share of losses. The CMS will make shared savings payments directly to the ACO, not to the individual providers. To reiterate, providers and suppliers in the ACO will still receive traditional Medicare fee-for-service payments for their services.
Accountable care organizations have the opportunity to decide how to distribute shared savings among participants with agreements that encourage participants to adhere to quality and program measurements. A plan for distribution is part of the ACO's application process that must be approved by the CMS. An ACO's distribution of shared savings among its participants is exempt from Stark and anti-kickback laws although distribution of savings outside of the ACO entity is not. Again, your participation within an ACO is an opportunity to share in savings although an ACO will be calculating the cost/benefit of including you within the entity.
How does the cost savings and risk mechanism affect the DPM? It varies by the ACO.
One DPM ACO participant, who is a partner in a 300+ multispecialty medical group in Southern California, explained that because he has an equal membership share, he will share equally with other physician owners in any Medicare Shared Savings Program savings the ACO distributes to its physician members.5 He explained that his entry into ACO participation did not require a lot of effort on his part since the group practice's administrative staff took care of the paperwork, and quality and care reporting mechanisms are already in place. He is not expecting a significant savings distribution from the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Other ACOs allocate only a small percentage of any shared savings to specialists, including podiatrists.
How Quality Measures Come Into Play
Eligibility for shared savings is predicated on complete and accurate data reporting for all 33 quality measures as deemed by the CMS.4 The 33 quality measures mostly focus on ambulatory care and are categorized into four domains: patient/provider experience; care coordination and patient safety; preventive health; and at-risk populations.
For an ACO to be eligible for shared savings, it must perform at the 30th percentile on at least 70 percent of the measures in each domain. An ACO can fail a measure in one domain and still earn shared savings. There is one caveat though. A score of zero in any domain precludes an ACO from receiving any shared savings.
The "patient/provider experience" domain, as measured by patient surveys, is seemingly the most relevant measurement for DPMs.6 All seven questions within this domain could include a patient's experience with you. The questions address the patient's perception of his or her experience with the practitioner. Specifically, patient surveys measure the following seven items:
1) timely care and appointments
2) how well doctors communicate
3) patient ratings of their doctors
4) access to specialists
5) health promotion and education
6) shared decision making among doctors
7) health and functional status
These measures are more challenging to fulfill given they are subjective but you should work closely with your ACO team members to ensure you are adhering to the governing body's defined ACO care processes.
The "at-risk population" domain, which includes measures focused on care provided to patients with diabetes, also bears on the DPM's role within the ACO. Although the quality outcomes measure biochemical changes, the very fact that this population is targeted for measuring the ACO's performance is significant. Among other diabetes care considerations is recognition of the high rate of risk for lower extremity amputations. Accountable care organizations will likely need to coordinate care for the patient with diabetes with the DPM either as an ACO participant or outside the ACO structure if he or she does not participate in the ACO.
Comparing Commercial ACOs To Medicare ACOs
The ACO model exists in both the public and private sectors with many private health insurance companies having ACO-like contracts with providers. As with Medicare ACOs, typically the physician providers in commercial ACOs are large groups or independent practice associations that have the necessary infrastructure and information technology capacity to meet the ACO's care coordination and reporting criteria.
Health industry consulting firm Oliver Wyman reports that in addition to the 2.4 million Medicare beneficiaries who receive care under a Medicare ACO, up to another 15 million non-Medicare patients receive care through Medicare ACOs.7 Eight million to 14 million individuals are part of commercial ACOs run by large national and regional insurance companies for their non-Medicare populations. Commercial ACOs are having a growing impact on healthcare delivery throughout the nation.
Commercial ACOs share a similar mission with Medicare ACOs, namely to reduce cost while improving care. However, the implementation of a commercial ACO can be different in a number of significant ways including eligibility requirements for physicians. Commercial ACOs do not need to adhere to the same number and types of quality measures as defined by the CMS. Nor does the commercial ACO need to adhere to the governance structure and cost sharing formula applicable to Medicare ACOs. The commercial payer, rather than Medicare, provides the financial incentive for quality and cost performance. Each commercial ACO differs. Therefore, your participation in a commercial ACO should be informed by the specific guidelines of the specific commercial ACO.
A representative of a Blue Cross ACO commented that its commercial ACOs include large physician groups that may employ or contract with podiatrists, but the insurer does not dictate the group's arrangement with the podiatrist.8 If the group shares any cost savings, it determines how such savings are distributed to group physician providers, including podiatrists and other specialists. Commercial ACOs are evolving and many variations are developing.
In Conclusion
There is an increasing number of ACOs across health systems in the United States. Providers who have the resources and infrastructure available to meet ACO requirements, such as health quality and expenditure data reporting, are in the best position to adopt this model. For DPMs who are interested in participating in an ACO, relationships with health systems, health plans, hospitals and independent practice associations will be critical.
Medicare and commercial ACOs reward improved outcomes along with a reduction in the cost of healthcare spending. Whether you are interested in participating in an ACO or not, you are best prepared for continued changes in healthcare delivery and reimbursement if you have a process to monitor your quality, efficiency and expenditures. Demonstrating your provision of cost-effective care will continue to be an imperative in this healthcare market.
Ms. Kase is an attorney at Fenton Nelson in Los Angeles.
1. Available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavi... .
2. Commins J. Medicare ACOs add 106. HealthLeaders Media, January 11, 2013. Available at http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/HEP-288223/Medicare-ACOs-Add-106 .
3. Blum J. 106 New ACOs – good news for people with Medicare. The CMS Blog, January 10, 2013. Available at http://blog.cms.gov/2013/01/10/106-new-acos-good-news-for-people-with-me... .
4. Available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavi... .
5. Personal communication.
6. Quality Measurement & Health Assessment Group Office of Clinical Standards & Quality Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Accountable Care Organization 2012 Program Analysis: Quality Performance Standards Narrative Measure Specifications, December 12, 2011. Available at http://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/sharedsavin... .
7. Available at http://www.oliverwyman.com/media/OW_ENG_HLS_PUBL_The_ACO_Surprise.pdf .
8. Personal communication.
Additional References
9. Health and Human Services Press News Release, HHS announces 89 new Accountable Care Organizations, July 9, 2012.
10. Anderson C. Report: 31 million patients in US receive care from an ACO, Healthcare Finance News, November 27, 2012. Available at http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/report-31-million-patients-us-... .


text: These doors are factory replacements for your Great Northern or Superior Popcorn Company doors. Should you need to replace your door, please determine the exact door you need BEFORE you order. This Superior Popcorn replacement door fits the following 8 oz models: 4645, 4650, 4655, 4660. Click HERE for the Door Selection Guide. If you still have trouble determining which door you should order, please contact our Customer Service at 800-665-0728 and we will be glad to assist you in the kettle selection process.


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Nursery Rhyme Math
These beloved rhymes aren't just for reading! Help your preschooler learn the basics of numbers and math with this collection of cute nursery rhyme worksheets.Download All (20)
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Click on a worksheet in the set below to see more info or download the PDF.
Hey Diddle Diddle AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
Jump over the moon with a nursery rhyme math worksheet! Help your preschooler learn the basics of addition with this nursery rhyme.
Jack and Jill AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
Follow Jack and Jill up the hill to count the pails of water! Preschoolers can learn the basics of addition just by counting up items to find a total.
Mary Quite Contrary AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
How does your garden grow? Challenge your preschooler with some nursery rhyme math, a fun way to introduce her to basic addition.
Three Blind Mice AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
What if more blind mice were added to the three blind mice? Help your child practice her counting with this nursery rhyme intro to addition!
Three Little Kittens AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
Help these poor kittens add up their mittens! Your preschooler will be learning the basics of addition and multiplication with this nursery rhyme math sheet.
Rub-a-Dub-Dub SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
Three men in a tub! Have you ever seen anything so silly? Help your preschooler learn the basics of arithmetic with a nursery rhyme.
The set is continued below.
Itsy Bitsy Spider SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
Climb up the water spout to learn some subtraction! Your preschooler will love to learn simple arithmetic with a familiar nursery rhyme.
Old Mother Hubbard SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
What's Old Mother Hubbard keeping in her cupboard? Count them up with your little reader! She can learn the basics of subtraction with this nursery rhyme.
Little Bo Peep SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
Turn story time into a fun math lesson with Little Bo Peep! Help your preschooler learn the basics of subtraction by counting how many sheep have gone missing.
Humpty Dumpty SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
What if Humpty Dumpty wasn't the only one sitting on the wall? Try out a simple subtraction problem using this classic nursery rhyme.
"An Apple a Day" MathDownload Worksheet More info
How many apples a day can keep the doctor away? Count up the apples to learn addition in this nursery rhyme math worksheet.
Ba Ba Black Sheep MathDownload Worksheet More info
How many bags of wool are left? Help your little lamb find the right answer in this nursery rhyme subtraction problem.
The set is continued below.
Learning About ZerosDownload Worksheet More info
What does it mean to have zero? Teach your little fisherman an important math concept with this nursery rhyme math sheet.
Pat-a-Cake MathDownload Worksheet More info
Little bakers, help this chef decorate his cake with candles! This classic nursery rhyme is a great way to help your preschooler learn addition.
Twinkle Twinkle MathDownload Worksheet More info
Help twinkling stars go back to sleep! By filling in the stars, your preschooler will be practicing basic subtraction.
Hickory Dickory Dock SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
Hickory Dickory Dock, how many mice ran up the clock? Learn simple subtraction with your preschooler!
Jack Be Nimble AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
Is your little learner as quick as Jack? Give her a great head start to learning basic addition with this fun nursery rhyme math lesson!
Old Woman in a Shoe AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
Could you imagine living in a shoe? Get silly with your little learner as you teach her some simple addition and counting.
Ring Around the Rosie AdditionDownload Worksheet More info
Have a sing-along math session with this nursery rhyme addition page! Your preschooler can practice counting and colors as she learns about addition.
London Bridge SubtractionDownload Worksheet More info
If one bridge falls down, how many bridges are left? None! Help your preschooler sort out simple subtraction with this nursery rhyme math worksheet.
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text:
JAW BATS Model JB10 (M110) Adult Wood Baseball Bat
Product Code: JAWJB10
Availability: Custom Made To Order
Availability: Custom Made To Order
Price: $129.99
The JB10 is modeled off of the very popular M110. This model has a large barrel that slowly tapers down to a medium handle and slightly flared knob. This bat is great for all hitters.
|This bat is custom made to order and requires anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks to manufacture and deliver in most cases.
|Similar to an M110
|Handle slightly tapers to the standard knob
|Handle measures 1.49" where it meets the knob
|Handle measures .94" at the top of your bottom hand (approx. 5" up from the knob)
|Barrel measures 2.36" at the sweet spot and 2.48" near the very end of the barrel
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Oscar's love for nature and gardening takes flight in this bejeweled beetle motif cocktail ring with pavé shank. Hand-set with Czech glass and Swarovski crystals for a sophisticated dose of sparkle. Handcrafted by master artisans in America using our exclusive Russian gold.
• 1.5" long.
• Fits sizes 6-8.5 comfortably.
• Pewter / brass / glass / Swarovski crystals.
• Hidden size adjuster.
• Made in USA / crystals made in Austria / glass made in Czech Republic.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration announced Thursday that community health centers around the country will get $150 million to help uninsured Americans sign up for health insurance coverage under the new health care law.
The money addresses concerns from Congress and advocacy groups that many consumers will have a hard time navigating the health coverage options available to them next year as a mix of government programs and tax credits for private insurance kicks in.
Last month, the administration made $54 million available to states and private groups so that they could hire new health insurance "navigators." The same concept is being applied to the nation's 1,200 community health centers, which serve about 21 million patients each year, many of them without health insurance.
Beginning in July, each center will get a minimum of $55,000, and will have to provide quarterly reports documenting how many people they enrolled for health coverage.
Beginning Oct. 1, consumers can enroll in coverage through health insurance marketplaces called "exchanges" established by the states or the federal government. Coverage under the private plans begins Jan. 1.
"This won't be easy," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius acknowledged in a conference call with reporters. "Many of the Americans we're trying to reach have spent their whole lives locked out or priced out of the health insurance market."
Some lawmakers have said they're worried that the health insurance exchanges won't open on time, and when they do, will be confusing to consumers.
Cecilia Munoz, director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House, said that more than 60 percent of the patients who get care at community health centers are from racial or ethnic minority groups that make up a disproportionate share of the uninsured. She said the centers are a trusted presence in many neighborhoods.
"They work on the front lines of the system. They help people overcome cost and language barriers," Munoz said.


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Platform feeders are ideal for attracting ground feeders such as cardinals, doves, juncos, and jays. Hanging or post-mounted feeders attract birds that feed at branch level. Nectar feeders invite
orioles and hummingbirds.
Insect feeders attract robins, bluebirds, and purple martins. Hopper or open styles are better for larger birds.
Tube feeders are ideal for smaller birds like finches and chickadees.
Ports and Perches
Ports must be sized appropriately. Sunflower or mixed seeds won't fit through the smaller ports of finch feeders.
Offer multiple seed mixes in feeders with multiple seed tubes, and look for feeders with
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Feeders with perches attract grackles, grosbeaks, chickadees, titmice, and other perching birds. Clinging birds, such as woodpeckers, finches, or nuthatches, prefer feeders without perches. To attract both varieties, look for feeders that feature removable or flip-up perches.
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|Assistant Coach
|Eighth Year at SCU
|Previous College:
|UC Davis, 2005
Follow Jesse Pruitt on Twitter
Jesse Pruitt is in his eighth season on the Santa Clara men's basketball staff, including fourth as an assistant coach.
In 2013-14, the Broncos won 14 games and saw Jared Brownridge receive WCC Freshman of the Year on the way to breaking seven school records.
Collecting a 26-12 record, the Broncos won the College Basketball Invitational post-season tournament after winning the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2011. The Broncos final RPI was No. 68 and record-wise, they claimed the biggest turnaround in Division I basketball this year. The 26 wins were just one shy of the school record set by the 1968-69 team who collected 27 wins.
Santa Clara won 26 games in 2012-13 after winning 21 regular season games for the first time in almost 20 years on the Mission campus. Pruitt was essential to the Broncos run, helping coach two first-team All-WCC members in 2013 in Marc Trasolini and Kevin Foster, the second-all-time leading scorer in West Coast Conference history. In addition to their success on the court, all five seniors are on tap to graduate in June as well.
All told the Broncos combined to break 22 school and WCC records in 2012-13. Foster broke the all-time WCC record for threes made, finishing tied for fourth in Division I history with 431. In addition to winning the CBI and finishing fourth in the WCC, the Broncos broke eight individual career records and five individual season records. As a team the Broncos broke eight season records as well. They also led the West Coast Conference in two team categories and two individual categories overall and two team categories and three individual categories in league games.
Pruitt's was the Director of Basketball Operations for three years and began his SCU tenure as the video coordinator in 2008-09.
Pruitt joined the Bronco staff after serving two years as an assistant under Head Coach Greg Kamansky at Division II powerhouse Cal Poly Pomona. Pruitt's main responsibilities with the Broncos were player development, film exchange, recruiting and game preparation.
He graduated from UC Davis in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in Sociology-Organizational Studies. He was a member of the Aggies team for two seasons under former UC Davis head coach Brian Fogel. Pruitt had a career-high 14 points against UC San Diego in a thrilling 2OT victory on Jan. 25, 2003.
Pruitt earned three varsity letters at Upland High School. He was the team captain as a senior and led the team to a 33-2 record and a CIF Southern Section championship, a No. 4 state ranking and a No. 10 national ranking.
Pruitt is a native of Pomona, Calif. He has worked at several basketball camps including: Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, Double Pump, Maryland, Pangos All-American, Santa Clara, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine and UCLA.
Married the former Mary Jo Alexander on Oct. 2, 2010 in Palo Alto, Calif. and they reside in Santa Clara. Pruitt's wife was an All-American runner at UC Davis and she is an assistant coach with the Stanford University track and field and cross country teams. They welcomed their first child, Gisele Brin, on March 5, 2013.


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In conjunction with the Moto X ad that ran today in the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, Motorola has launched an email registration page on its site for those who would like to stay informed about the product. The Moto X registration page does not reveal any new details about the phone, but it does claim that, "by the end of summer, we expect there to be more than 2000 new employees in Ft. Worth, TX working to make all this possible."
The idea of owning a phone that's "designed by you" is certainly appealing, but Motorola and Google will be facing some tough competition from Samsung and HTC for dominance in the high-end Android space. Do you think Google and Motorola are willing to back the Moto X with a marketing budget big enough to push the Samsung Galaxy S4 to the sidelines?


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The Century Cyclopedia of Names, Volume 3The Century Cyclopedia of Names, Volume 3. While the Century Company was compiling its Dictionary in the late 1800's it decided to draw all the proper name references it found into a separate appendix to be included in the last of the dictionary's eight volumes. When they completed the dictionary they found that the appendix of names was so large it justified a complete volume of its own. Consequently the first edition of the Cyclopedia of Names, for the single year of 1894, was published as a stand alone book. This is the edition of the book which has been reproduced here. We are told there are over 25,000 name entries and from its weight alone that''s easy to believe! Measuring 34 cm high by 25 cm wide and its 1085 pages making it over 6 cm thick, it is certainly one of our largest and heaviest books. The names in the book are from all sources, all countries as well as from both fact and fiction although being an American publisher there may be some bias. Each entry provides a pronunciation guide and an etymology giving either: the earliest recognized use or, the life facts if it is a person. This will be an invaluable source of personal chronology if you were researching one of the characters cited. The Archive CD Books Project exists to make reproductions of old books, documents and maps available on CD to genealogists and historians, and to cooperate with local libraries, museums and record offices in providing money to renovate old books in their collection, and to donate books to their collections, where they will be preserved for future generations.
Archive CD Books Canada


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Poached ivory is destroying wild populations of elephants and rhinos across Africa and Asia. The strong demand for ivory takes an estimated 25,000 elephant lives each year.
Now, the government of the Philippines is sending a message to poachers and smugglers, by destroying five tons of ivory confiscated in the country. On Friday, environmentalists, government officials, and the public gathered in Quezon City to witness the pulverization.
"We want to send a strong message that we're against the illegal trade of ivory, these are all contraband." says Theresa Mundita Lim, Director if the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines. Her country's ivory stockpile is spread out on the ground; thousands of disembodied tusks turning a shady parking lot into an elephant graveyard.
First a steam roller crunched over the tusks, but the surprisingly durable ivory withstood the pressure until a backhoe took over, stabbing with the toothy side edge of the bucket.
Smashing removes any chance that the confiscated ivory could back into the marketplace- corrupt officials have been known to pilfer from government warehouses. The Philippines is a major stopover for ivory dealers entering the Asian black market, and Filipinos also buy the ivory to make religious carvings.
The dramatic scene and loud snaps of shattering ivory brings home an issue that seems like a far-away problem.
"If only one child realizes here in the Philippines, what he's seen on TV or books are actually real animals." explains Mundita Lim. "And if he tells his parents 'Please don't buy that ivory', that's good enough impact for us."
Poaching for ivory has ravaged populations of wild elephants and rhinos at record rates. An estimated 25,000 African elephants are killed each year and all for the coveted ivory tusks that fuel a global smuggling enterprise.
BRIAN CHRISTY: Yeah, the illegal ivory trade right now is at least a $50 million-a-year industry. And it has resulted in a bloodbath across Africa.
LYDEN: That's Brian Christy. His "Blood Ivory" article in the October 2012 issue of National Geographic drew international attention to the illicit global market for ivory. On Friday, he stood in a parking lot in Quezon City in the Philippines to witness a major symbolic step towards shutting down the illegal ivory trade.
LYDEN: The Philippines' supply of five tons of confiscated ivory wasn't just destroyed. It was smashed, crushed, first, run over by a steam roller...
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Foreign language spoken)
LYDEN: ...which was surprisingly ineffective, so they switched to pounding it with a backhoe.
LYDEN: The Philippines is a key stopover in the ivory trade. It's a destination for smugglers unloading their illicit wares into the Asian marketplace. And Filipinos buy the ivory for religious carvings. The confiscated ivory could leak back into the black market if it merely sits in a government warehouse where it can be pilfered and resold by corrupt officials. But pulverizing it takes it out of play forever.
THERESA MUNDITA LIM: We want to send a strong message that we're against the illegal trade of ivory. These are all contraband.
LYDEN: Theresa Mundita Lim is the director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines. She hopes that this dramatic destruction will help people realize their own role in the extinction of the species.
LIM: If only one child realizes that, you know, here in the Philippines, what he's seeing on TV or in books are actually real animals, and if he tells his parents, you know, please don't buy that ivory, then I think that's good enough impact for us.
LYDEN: And hopefully, Lim is right. It's a horrible sound. And when you think about the animal which was once attached to that tusk, its life wasted, think that it might, through this destruction, save another elephant.
LYDEN: This is NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.